This application corresponds to and claims benefit to European application number 01300816.4, filed Jan. 30, 2001. This European application is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
a. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drive assembly for a covering of an architectural opening, comprising a motor drive, an accumulator connected to the motor drive, a power source and an electrical circuit connecting the power source to the accumulator.
b. Background Art
Light regulating devices, such as retractable and extendable awnings and control systems for automatically extending such awnings are known.
Motor driven venetian blinds comprising either vertical or horizontal slats are known, which can be opened by retracting the slats to one side of the window and in which the position of the slats around their longitudinal axis can be controlled electrically via a control unit, which blinds are powered from the main power supply.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive assembly for a covering of an architectural opening, which can be operated electrically and which can be powered by a relatively low current or voltage power source.
It is in particular an object of the present invention to provide a drive assembly which can be operated by a photovoltaic cell of relatively small dimensions and operating at low light level conditions.
It is again an object of the present invention to provide a drive assembly using an electrical circuit connecting the power source to the accumulator, which is self-starting and which uses a relatively number of components.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drive assembly having an electrical circuit in which power losses are minimized and which is of compact design.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a drive assembly with an electrical circuit, which can operate at or near the maximum power point of a solar cell.
Thereto, the drive assembly according to the present invention is characterized in that the electrical circuit comprises a step-up converter.
The step-up converter transforms the small fluctuating voltage or current derived from the power source to DC current ranging from 1-20 V, suitable for charging the accumulator for operating the motor drive. Use of the step-up converter allows the drive assembly to be powered by a solar cell of small dimensions, which may be mounted for instance at the inside of a window on the head rail of a venetian blind, facing towards the inside of the building, or being placed on any position on the windowsill.
An embodiment of the drive assembly according to the present invention comprises a step-up converter with an input terminal connected to the power source and an output terminal with a supply voltage, connected to the accumulator, the step-up converter circuit having:
an input terminal for connection to a varying voltage or current source, and an output terminal with a supply voltage,
an inductive element being with a first terminal connected to the input terminal and with a second terminal to a capacitive element and to the output terminal, the capacitive element being with one terminal connected to a reference voltage,
a first switch being with a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the inductive element, and with a second terminal to the reference voltage, the first switch comprising a gate electrode for opening and closing of the switch when a control voltage of a first level is applied to the gate,
an oscillator comprising a power input connected to the output terminal, a start-up output connected to the gate electrode of the first switch for supplying a pulse-like signal to the gate electrode and an oscillator output.
The energy from the power source is stored in the inductive element and is periodically charging the capacitor for forming and increasing supply voltage on the output terminal. This increasing supply voltage is fed into the oscillator, which output signal rises as a consequence resulting in better control of the switch and hence more power being input into the capacitive element, such that the voltage of the output terminal is increased.
In a preferred embodiment, the step-up converter further comprises a second switch connected in parallel with the first switch, the second switch having a gate electrode connected to the oscillator output, wherein the first switch remains opened when the supply voltage at the output terminal reaches a predetermined level, and the second switch is operated by the oscillator output at a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level.
The varying input voltage is fed into the inductive element, which is periodically connected to reference voltage by opening of the first switch under control of the start-up output of the oscillator. The power input of the oscillator is connected to the supply voltage terminal, which at start-up receives a very small voltage. The resulting start-up output voltage is correspondingly small, for instance 0.2 V or less. When the first switch is opened and closed again, a rising current is generated in the inductive element, which charges the capacitive element such that the supply voltage is successively increased. The first switch is particularly suited to be operated at a low gate control voltage from the start-up output of the oscillator. As the supply voltage increases, the start-up output signal of the oscillator will increase, resulting in better operation of the first switch and more power being transferred from the inductive element to the capacitive element, such that a self-amplifying effect results in increasing the supply voltage and the oscillator start-up output signal. When the supply voltage reaches a predetermined value, the first switch is de-activated (opened) and the second switch is operated from a second oscillator output, at a gate control voltage, which is above the gate control voltage of the first switch. Operation of the second switch results in a further increase in the supply voltage. The first switch may for instance be formed by a bipolar pnp-transistor with a gate control voltage of 0.6 V above reference voltage, a collector-emitter voltage Vce of 600 mV at a collector current Ic of 100 mA. The second switch may be formed by a low power logic level MOSFET with a gate control voltage Vgs (gate threshold voltage) generally in the range of 1-2 V at a source voltage Vds of 2 V and at a current Ids of 0.3-1.2A.
By the use of the two switches according to the present invention, each operating at a different gate control voltage level, a self-starting step-up converter is achieved.
In one embodiment, a diode is connected between the second terminal of the inductive element at the gate electrode of the first switch. When a varying supply voltage of about 0.4 V is offered to the input terminal, and the supply voltage is about 0.4 V, a 0.4 V bias voltage on the control terminal of the first switch is maintained by the positive clamp formed by the diode. Hence, in case the first switch is formed by a pnp bipolar transistor, only a 0.2 V varying control voltage is necessary at the gate to bring the transistor into conduction. The 0.2 V varying voltage is obtained from the oscillator when powered at its input by a 0.4 V supply voltage level.
In a further embodiment, the outputs of the oscillator are connected to the gates via respective capacitive elements. By the capacitive element coupling, the small DC control voltage from the start-up output of the oscillator is added to the 0.4 V DC level of the diode clamp.
A voltage converting unit may be formed by attaching a second converting stage to the voltage converting circuit, the second converting stage having an inductive element with a first terminal connectable to the varying voltage source, and connected with a second terminal to a first terminal of an electrical element such as an accumulator, the accumulator being with a second terminal connected to the reference voltage, a third switch being connected between the second terminal of the inductive element and the reference voltage and being with a gate electrode connected to an oscillator output of a second oscillator, the supply voltage of the output terminal of the voltage converting circuit being connected to the second terminal of the inductive element and to a power input of the second oscillator. The third switch may be formed by a power MOSFET having multiple drains and multiple sources for further converting the DC-voltage from the converting circuit to levels of between 3-15 V.
The voltage converting circuit according to the present invention may be applied in combination with a solar cell as a power source, a fuel cell or other varying voltage or current sources having relatively small current and voltages at their output. The voltage-converting unit according to the present invention may be part of a cattle watering unit, country road lighting or an electrical fence in the countryside when as a voltage source a solar cell is used. Other applications in combination with a solar cell are digital billboards, billboard lighting, street lighting or information points.
Furthermore, the device of the present invention can be used to power speed control devices along roads, roadside reflectors or road markings (cat eyes), emergency points, etc.
Alternatively, the voltage converting circuit can be applied in marine applications as a generator on boats, for boat lighting, as a navigation device or a GPS-system.
Mobile phones, laptops, organisers, and other appliances may be powered by the voltage converting circuit which only needs a very small voltage input.
Furthermore, digital cameras, battery chargers, bicycle lighting, danger triangles, avalanche beepers, flashlight, tv""s, microwaves and other domestic appliances, garden lighting, garden sprayers and light regulating devices for windows, such as window blinds, awnings and etc., may be powered by the voltage converting circuit of the present invention.
The invention is most beneficial to small sized appliances by allowing a substantial reduction in surface of the solar cells.